Silent Night
by FaithinBones
Summary: This is not how Booth and Brennan planned on spending their Christmas Eve. Separated, they spend the night searching for each other.


(This story takes place in season 9)

A/N: this story is for Covalent Bond who has been entertaining us with wonderful stories all year. I got the idea for this story from a picture I saw on the internet.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Her feet making a munching sound as she walked in the snow, she slowly became aware of her surroundings. The light from the full moon overhead reflected off of the snow on the ground and on the branches in the trees lighting her path as she walked. The only noise she was aware of were the sounds of her footsteps as she walked steadily down the snow covered dirt road.

As she walked, Brennan began to wonder where she was and why she was alone. Certain that she was supposed to be with someone she stopped and looked back. In the distance she could see the snow covered trees lining the road she was on but saw no signs of life. Worried, she placed her mittened hands in her pockets and turned back to look ahead. Not seeing any houses or businesses, she shrugged her shoulders and continued to walk.

As the miles fell behind her, she soon found herself at an intersection. Looking both right and then left, she realized that the cross road was a paved road, not like the snow covered dirt road she had been walking on. Uncertain which way to go, she looked back the way she had come and realized that her footprints were overlapping tire tracks in the snow. Studying the tracks she noticed that the tire tracks had entered the dirt road from the left. Hopeful that she was making the right decision, she turned left and started walking on the side of the paved road.

Ooooooooooooooo

Waking, he slowly opened his eyes and groggily looked around. Pain lancing through his head, Booth moved his left hand to the side of his head and felt a tacky wetness adhering to his fingers. Moving his hand so that he could look at his fingers, he found them covered in blood. Moaning, he shivered and looked around, "Bones . . . Bones where are you?" His voice feeble, Booth cleared his throat and tried again, "Bones . . . Are you alright? Where are you?"

Silence his answer, Booth tried to move and discovered that his movements were restricted. Pushing with his hands, he found that he was covered with boards and splintered wood. Pain radiating from his head down to his neck and shoulders, he slowly shifted the wood away from his body. Disoriented, he shifted enough of the detritus to allow himself to move his arms more freely. Pushing the rubbish with his hands and finally his feet, he freed himself and sat up. Looking around, he discovered that he was in a collapsed building. The light from the moon overhead giving him enough light to see by he noticed that his coat and pants were torn and splattered with blood. Cautiously, he inserted his hands under coat and shirt, checking to make sure he wasn't the one who was hurt. Not finding anything more serious than cuts and scratches, he continued his inspection and moved his hands along his arms and legs. Relieved, he found that other than his pants being torn in several places, he had some long scratches, cuts and possible bruises on his legs none of which appeared to be serious.

His fear growing, Booth began to worry about whose blood was smeared on his jacket and pants. Moving to his knees, he peered around him, "Bones . . . Bones, say something!" Not getting a response, his heart started to beat harder as he staggered to his feet and started to shift and move boards, calling out for his wife as he searched for her. Panic starting to set in, he suddenly found the toe of a boot jutting from a pile of boards on the left side of the building. Frantically picking up the smashed boards and throwing them to the side, he called out several times to Brennan. Relieved, Booth soon found that the body was not his partner but that of a woman much younger than Brennan. Checking for a pulse, Booth was sad to find that she was dead.

Shaking his head, Booth continued his search for his wife. After spending almost an hour moving broken and smashed boards he realized that she wasn't in the building. Carefully moving out into the debris filled yard, he started to search the cluttered ground for any signs that Brennan was there. Checking on his truck as he passed it in his search, Booth discovered that it had been heavily damaged when one side of the house had rocketed into the passenger side and tires. One glance was all it took for him to realize that the SUV was not going to take him anywhere.

Searching the yard surrounding the house, Booth called out constantly for his wife, "Bones, for God's sake, where are you?"

After a methodical search in the area around the house, Booth found the body of a middle aged man. It appeared that the stranger had been hit with flying debris from the house and sustained serious internal injuries. The man had dragged himself towards a path leading into the woods where he'd died.

Unsuccessful in his search for his wife and bone weary, Booth finally walked over to his damaged truck, pried the driver's side door open and slid onto the seat. Picking up the microphone attached to his police radio, he found that it wasn't working. Using his hand, he slapped the top of the radio and tried to use it again. Disgusted, he dropped the microphone and rummaged in his jacket pockets, looking for his phone. His search unsuccessful, he laid his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. "Where are you Bones? Don't do this to me."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Walking steadily down the road, Brennan saw approaching lights from a car moving towards her. Waving her arms, she stood on the edge of the road and tried to will the driver to stop his car.

The car slowing, the driver finally stopped a few feet from where the anthropologist was standing and rolled down his window, "Do you need help?"

Stepping over to the car, Brennan placed her hands on the sill of the door and replied, "Yes, I think I do. Will you take me to the nearest place of business? I need to call for help. My phone isn't working."

Nodding his head, Jerry Richards frowned, "Why don't you get in and I'll take you to the hospital."

Shaking her head, Brennan asked, "Why would I want to go to the hospital? I just need to call my partner and ask him to come and get me. I'm not sure where he is."

Worried, Jerry motioned for her to get in his car, "Look lady, I don't know what happened but you're hurt and you need to go to the hospital. Just get in and I'll take you. We'll call the Sheriff's office when we get there."

Puzzled, Brennan looked down at her clothes and found blood spatters on her torn coat and pants. Suddenly aware that she was in pain and quite cold, Brennan shook her head slowly, "What happened to me? Where's Booth?"

Opening his door slowly, Jerry gently pushed Brennan out of the way and exited his car. Placing his arm around her shoulders, he walked her around to the passenger side of his car, opened the door and helped Brennan into the passenger seat. Making sure she was completely in the car, he closed the door, ran around to the driver's slide and slid into the car. "We're about twenty minutes from the hospital. Hold on, I'll get you there as soon as I can."

Dazed, Brennan turned to stare at her benefactor, "Where's Booth?"

Putting his car into Drive, Jerry drove quickly down the road, "I don't know lady. Just relax, when we get to the hospital we'll call the Sheriff's office."

oooooooooooooooo

Awake and shivering, Booth realized that the tears in his pants and coat were allowing his body heat to escape into the cold frosty air. Groaning, he worked his way over to the back seat and pulled his sports bag onto the seat beside him. Opening it, he pulled out a pair of jogging pants and slipped them on over his slacks. Feeling a little warmer, Booth found a bottle of slushy water and opened the cap. Pouring some of the slush into his mouth, he swallowed it. Closing the cap, he placed the bottle in his jacket pocket along with two granola bars and left his truck.

Stepping out into the snow covered yard, Booth placed his hand on the side of his head and checked on his head wound. The slash in his skin still oozing, Booth lowered his hand and then wiped it on the snow at his feet. Partially removing the blood, he stood up and called out, "Come on Bones, tell me where you are. Please don't leave me alone. Me and Christine need you. Tell me where you are . . . please?"

Silence his answer, Booth searched the ground for foot prints. Finding a pair of boot prints on the trail where the body of the unknown man lay, he decided to follow them to see if they would lead him to his partner. The prints were too small to have been made by the man so he decided to take a risk that they were his wife's. His head throbbing, his legs and arms aching, he tried to ignore the pain as he left the yard and followed the tracks into the woods.

ooooooooooooo

Sitting in an examination room at the hospital, Brennan seemed to have a hard time trying to focus on what was going on around her. A Fluvanna County Sheriff's deputy, pulling the curtain back, entered the room and took off his gloves. "Ma'am, I've been told that you were picked up on Georges Mill Road."

Staring at the deputy, Brennan slowly shook her head, "I was walking on a dirt road and . . . I found a paved road and followed it. I don't know the name of the road."

Concerned, Deputy Carter stepped closer to Brennan and frowned, "Ma'am can you tell me your name and what you were doing walking out on Georges Mill Road? Can you tell me how you got hurt?"

"My name is . . . my name is Doctor Temperance Brennan. I . . . I'm not sure why I was . . . I need to call Booth, I can't seem to . . . I'm not sure where he is and I need to speak to him."

Dr. Abrams, entering the room, walked past the deputy and stopped next to the bed Brennan was sitting on, "Dr. Brennan, your MRI doesn't show anything serious that we need to be concerned about. I do think you have a mild concussion and that's why you're having trouble concentrating. You have numerous cuts and abrasions on your legs, arms and back which are not really serious though I'm sure they are painful."

Nodding her head, Brennan pulled her purse towards her, "I need to call my husband. I need to call Booth."

Smiling, Dr. Abrams patted her arm, "We tried to call him when you first came in, don't you remember? We were sent to voice mail."

Forcing herself to concentrate, Brennan stared at the deputy, "We were going . . . we were . . . My husband is an FBI Agent. We were investigating the murder of woman whose body was found in . . . whose body was discovered in George Washington National Forest. Her name was . . . her name was Cynthia Germany. She's from Palmrya and we traced her to . . . We drove to her last known address and something . . . something happened." Shaking her head, Brennan frowned, "I need to find Booth. I don't know where he is and I should. I . . . something is wrong."

Concerned, Deputy Carter shook his head, "Dr. Brennan . . . I know the Germany family and I know Cynthia. I thought she had moved to Richmond. Are you saying that she was found dead?"

Nodding her head, Brennan replied, "Yes, we were able to identify her remains because she was in the Marines a few years ago. She served for six years and then left the service. Booth and I came to Fluvanna County to talk to her family . . . to see if we could discover why she hadn't been reported missing. We drove to her brother's house . . . yes her brother's house and . . . something happened . . . something . . ." Her eyes widening, Brennan stood up, "Booth knocked on the door of the house and a woman answered the door. She was very upset and claimed that her husband was trying to kill her. She said she would talk to Booth but not to me. Booth entered the house and while I was waiting outside I was approached by a man. He was drunk and screaming at me. He . . . He started to charge at me when the house blew up. Oh, my God, Booth was in the house when it blew up. I . . . I need to get back to the house. He could be hurt."

Placing his hand on Brennan's arm, Deputy Carter shook his head, "You need to stay here. I'll call this in and I'll drive over to the Germany place and see what's going on."

Shaking his hand off his arm, Brennan insisted, "I'm coming with you. Booth isn't just my husband, he's my partner. I have to come with you."

Seeing her resolve, Deputy Carter turned to look a the physician, "Is she okay enough to come with me?"

Nodding his head, Abrams replied, "Yes, although I think she should stay here and rest since she's also suffering from a mild case of hypothermia . . ."

Interrupting him, Brennan grabbed her purse and tattered jacket and walked past the two men, "I'm going and you can't stop me. If I have to I will hire a cab or a car but I will go back and look for Booth. He needs me."

Following Brennan out of the examination room, Deputy Carter pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and called the Sheriff's office. After reporting what Brennan had told him to the Sheriff, the deputy led Brennan to his car, "That house is pretty isolated. If the house exploded I'm not surprised no one reported it." Entering his car, Carter turned up the heat and waited for Brennan to get into the passenger side. "Try to call Agent Booth again. Maybe he'll answer."

Attempting to call Booth, Brennan's call was moved to voice mail, "Calls are still going to voice mail." Worried, Brennan called Angela and told her what was going on.

ooooooooooooo

Trudging through the wintry woods, Booth would occasionally stop and call out, "Bones, where the hell are you?" Not hearing anything other than his own movements in the snow, Booth would scan the surrounding woods and then continue to follow the tracks in the snow. His head throbbing, his shivering becoming more noticeable, he ignored the pain and cold and concentrated on his task.

Eventually the tracks brought him to a meadow. Looking towards the other side of the snow covered open space, Booth saw a building with lights illuminating the surrounding yard from several windows. Encouraged, Booth jammed his cold hands into his pockets and slogged through the deep snow towards the island of light in the moonlit night.

As he got closer Booth realized that the building was a church surrounded by a cemetery. He also realized that as he got closer he could hear singing. The soft strains of music pleasant to hear, Booth smiled as he drew closer. Eventually close enough to make out what music was being played, Booth hummed along to the music, 'Silent Night, Holy Night'.

Exhausted and shaking, Booth eventually found the tracks he'd been following turn and walk up the path to the church. Following them, Booth approached the church and climbed the steps to the porch. Wearily scrapping the snow off of his boots, swatting his legs trying to remove most of the snow, Booth straightened up, fumbled with the door knob until he opened the door and stepped inside.

Standing just inside the door, Booth observed a children's choir singing with an adult audience sitting in the pews facing the preacher standing behind a pulpit. One of the children, noticing Booth standing near the door, stopped singing and cried out, "Reverend Bishop, looky." Pointing at Booth, the child repeated her command, "Looky."

All eyes in the church turning towards the blood splattered specter leaning against the door, Booth felt the skin on his cheeks turn warm as he saw the looks of alarm on their faces. Holding up a trembling hand, Booth tried to reassure them, "It's alright. My name is Agent Booth and I'm with the FBI. I . . ."

Feeling peculiar, Booth felt a wave of dizziness hit him causing him to stagger over to an empty pew and sit down. Unaware of the pandemonium he was causing, Booth leaned forward with his eyes closed as he tried to control the violent shaking of his body.

Feeling a hand touch his arm, Booth opened his eyes and asked, "Have you seen my wife? She . . ." Seeing the man's mouth opening and closing, Booth shook his head, "I can't hear you. I can't . . ." Shaking his head, Booth felt another wave of dizziness wash over him causing him to fall forward. At the last minute, the stranger grabbed Booth and prevented him from falling face first into the pew in front of him.

oooooooooooooooo

Searching for Booth in the rubble of the house, Brennan spotted the Sheriff walking towards her from the trail where the body had been found, "Dr. Brennan, I just got a call from dispatch, it looks like Agent Booth walked into the 'Church of Christ' down in the hallow and passed out. The Reverend called an ambulance and had your husband taken to the hospital. The Reverend said he looked bad but he wasn't sure how bad."

Glancing at Booth's truck, Brennan turned back to the Sheriff, "I need to get to the hospital."

Whistling at Deputy Carter, Sheriff Price ordered him to take Brennan to the hospital, "I'm glad we found him ma'am. Maybe Agent Booth can explained what happened since you're still a little shaky about the details."

Turning to follow the deputy, Brennan replied, "I am not shaky about the details. I just don't know why the house blew up nor why the man was going to attack me before the house was destroyed."

Amused, the Sheriff saluted Brennan, "Yes ma'm."

Deputy Carter hurrying to his car, looked back at Brennan, "Once we get there, I'll stay until I can talk to your husband. This is a hell of Christmas Eve."

Entering the deputies car, Brennan slumped against the seat, "It looks like my daughter is going to miss Christmas with her parents, but she's with her grandfather and she's can still open presents. We'll celebrate with her tomorrow . . . Booth is safe so that's all that matters to me right now."

ooooooooooooooooo

Finding Booth lying on a hospital bed in the Emergency Ward, covered in blankets and staring at the ceiling, Brennan rushed into the room and over to his side. Leaning down and kissing him, Brennan breathed, "I was so worried."

Surprised and relieved, Booth placed his arms around his wife and pulled her into a kiss, "Thank God. I looked for you but I couldn't find you. One of the nurses told me that you where here earlier and then you left with a deputy. I've been worried sick about you. Where the hell were you?"

Returning his kiss, Brennan wiped a tear from her cheek, "I don't know what happened. I was in the yard when the house exploded but I don't know what happened next. When I became aware of my surroundings I found myself walking on a road. I couldn't remember where I had been and I didn't know where you were but I knew that I should be with you. I . . . I have a mild concussion. It took awhile for me to remember what happened and by that time I was here at the hospital. Deputy Carter took me back to the Germany house to search for you and when I heard you were here he brought me back here."

Sitting up, Booth pulled Brennan down so she could sit next to him. Leaning his forehead against her head, Booth sighed, "I was so damned worried. I couldn't find you and I didn't know what to do so I followed the tracks on the trail leading from the house thinking they were your prints. I made it to the church and I guess I passed out."

Puzzled, Deputy Carter spoke from across the room, "The only prints on the trail were your's Agent Booth. I started to follow them when we got the call that you were here. It's a good thing you stayed on the trail and made it to the church. If you'd passed out in those woods you may have froze to death before anyone found you."

Confused, Booth released Brennan and looked warily at the deputy, "The tracks were boot prints. The dead man I found near the trail, his boots were too big and I know I didn't make them. They were plain as can be. They led me to the church."

Shaking his head, Deputy Carter frowned, "I followed that trail for a half mile before turning back. Your tracks were the only prints on that trail."

Closing his eyes, Booth lay back down and shook his head, "I know what I saw. I followed boot prints to the church."

Shrugging his shoulders, Carter crossed his arms, "No prints. I know, I was there."

Swallowing, Booth opened his eyes and stared at Brennan, "You believe me don't you Bones?"

Nodding her head, Brennan smiled, "If you say you saw boot prints then I believe you Booth."

"Good." Smiling, Booth opened his eyes, "If I hadn't seen boot prints then I wouldn't have had a reason to go down that trail. I probably would have tried to make it to the road or something."

Feeling a chill down his spine, Deputy Carter spoke quietly, "It's a good thing you went to the church, it's two miles from the Germany house. The dirt road is four miles before it gets to Georges Mill Road. Then it's another fifteen miles to town. You wouldn't have made it. The temperature has been dropping all night. It's a miracle that Jerry Richards came along when he did and found Dr. Brennan. She was already starting to suffer from hypothermia besides the concussion. Georges Mill Road isn't used a lot at night. There aren't a lot of homes on that section of road."

A feeling of peace settling over him, Booth smiled dreamily, "My guardian angel must have shown me how to get to the church."

Staring at Booth, Brennan placed her hand over his heart, "I don't know what you saw or how you made it to the church, Booth. You did what you had to do and you're alive. That is the only thing I care about."

Placing his hand over her hand, Booth opened his eyes, "I promised that I'd never leave you Bones and I won't. I even have the angels helping me to stay with you."

A small smile on her lips, Brennan leaned over and kissed him. "I don't believe in angels, Booth."

Squeezing her hand, Booth grinned, "That's okay, I do and I guess they believe in me too."

oooooooooooooooooo

I hope you found this story entertaining. Let me know what you think of it. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.


End file.
